tonight on "world news," big broil. the record heat, 90 million people sweltering. parts of texas turning back into a dust bowl. not enough water for the cattle. double dare. with the economy on the brink over the debt talk, the president warns social security checks could be in jeopardy, as republicans claim they now have a last ditch plan. jay see dugard. tonight, neighbors who saw the backyard where she was being held, speak out about what they wish they had done. and, our made in america summer. an army of families showing you the one thing they bought and love to help create american jobs.

good evening to you. and here is how it looks and feels in temperatures as high as 105 degrees in america tonight. 90 million americans sweltering. record-breaking heat across the country. and look at that. temperatures soaring above 100 degrees, and there is drought so bad, cattle farmers are making very tough choices. that is the map. half of the country in the sweltering heat tonight, and abc's steve osunsami is in atlanta to report for us. >> reporter: across north georgia today, where the heat and humidity made it feel like 105 degrees, the local tree trimmers gave up at 2:00 p.m. >> we had a fella that fell out at 9:30 in the morning from heat exhaustion with throwing up. >> reporter: it's miserable heat. oklahoma city's 14th straight day above 100 degrees. in unicon county, south carolina, they were handing out

fans, and they ran out. >> it concerns me because there are people out there suffering, when something as small as a $15 fan can make a differences in their life. >> reporter: it was so dangerously y lt, summer school in philadelphia was forced to close early. city inspectors in dallas went home to home making sure air conditioners worked. >> most of the time i get out with the water hose and wet the house down. try to cool it off some. it's kind of really rough. >> reporter: since the start of this month alone, record temperatures were either matched or broken nearly 670 different times, in cities across the country. can't remember it being this hot this early and this long. >> reporter: adding insult to injury is the drought, now gripping farm and ranchlands in the deep south and southwest. they haven't seen a drought like this in some places since the 1950s, and parts of texas are breaking drought records set in 1917. the federal government has

declared the entire state a disaster area, with $3 billion in ingagricultural losses. ranchers in tulsa today were sell what they would normally keep. with no rain, there's no hay to feed the cattle. the beef prices you pay are about to rise. >> we can expect higher prices in the future. on top of what are already record retail prices for consumers. >> so, steve, 100-degree heat. remind us, physically, what that is and what you h he to be careful to do. >> reporter: well, diane, we talked with our dr. richard besser who says that when the heat index is at 105, you shouldn't be out in this. you should be inside in air conditioning. if you are in the heat, you should have two of these, two 16 ounce water bottles every hour. >> though they look pretty joyful behind you tonight. if they can stay in that water and that fountain. thank you, steve, so much tonight. and now we go to washington, and that very high stakes

political game of chicken. racheting up today. as you know, august 2nd will default on its debt if politicians don't act. and the default would wreak havoc with our jobs, credit cards and savings. a big emergency meeting ended is at the white house.ake tapper >> reporter: good evening, diane. well, the meeting broke earlier this evening after roughly an hour and 45 minutes. and there is still no light at the end of this economic tunnel. mitch mcconnell this afternoon presented the unusual proposal to empower the president to raise the debt ceiling while congress votes to disapprove. >> i still wanan to cut spendin. i was hoping he wanted to cut spending without extracting as a condition for cutting spending. what we believe are job-killing tax increases. >> reporter: president obama told cbs news that if this impasse is not resolved before default day, august 2nd, there will be an immediate effect on social security, veterans'

benefits and medicaid. >> i cannot guarantee that those checks go out on august 3rd if we haven't resolved this issue. >> this is turning into a laugh. but there's nothing funny about it. >> reporter: former republican senator alan simpson, who co-chaired the deficit commission, said the american people are rightly disgusted. and he's personally bothered by republicans undermining any chance of speaker boehner compromising. >> if t tt's going on in my party, where the pettiness overcomes the pate schism, it's disgusting to me. >> reporter: diane, a democrat familiar are negotiations said there was, this evening in that room, , growing recognition thy need to put aside the talking points and get to work. but diane, the clock is ticking. >> that's right, jake, thank you. and, now we want to tell you about the reaction today from doctors and mental health professionals to the brian ross investigation you saw here last night it was a closer look at the company owned by michele bachmann and her husband. and brian had video taken by an

outside job showing what was said to a gay client. an approach discredited by officials and deemed dangerous to those seeking help. and abc's chief investigative correspondent brian ross is back here tonight. >> reporter: the leading experts we talked to said showed a back practice at the bachmann clinic. no one at the bacacann clinic was talking. and the clinic's website, which had described it christian counseling, was no longer available online. >> the truth is god has designed our eyes to be attracted to the woman's body. >> reporter: and the undercover video shot by a gay rights group inside the clinic prompted mental health professionals to question whether the bachmann clinic receives medicaid payment for a therapy they say is not only ineffective but could seriously harm patients. >> there's a lot of technical language that sounds like main

stream psychology or main stream psychiatry, but it's not. >> reporter: this is far outside the main stream of practice? >> this is so far outside the main stream it's practically on mars. >> reporter: on capitol hill, michele bachmann would not respond to the criticism. >> i'm not doing any interviews now. thank you, though. >> is there a reason you're unwilling to discuss what's used in your clini clint clinic -- >> i'm focused on jobs. >> are you aware of the method used in the clinic? >> thank you. >> so, brian, we saw what the health professionals have to say. remind us again why they say it can cause harm. >> reporter: this therapy is based on the theory that homosexuality is a illness or choice and they try to change people. in some cases, they say there have been suicidal tendencies

that have dropped. >> that's a great fear. brian ross, thank you. and now, a serious challenge to marriage as we know it, by a polygamist family you may have seen on reality tv. heading into federal court. a husband and his four wives will file a landmark lawsuit, asking the court to reconsider the number of part nerps we can all have in marriage. here's abc's dan harris. >> she's a sister from the same mister and he's a brother from another mother. >> reporter: you may not approve of the life cody brown lives with his four wives and their 16 children on tlc's "sister wives." but they say they have every right to live it. there will be inevitably some people who see your lives and say this is just plain wrong. >> we aren't saying this is for everybody. and we would never say that.. >> reporter: now, they're renowned constitutional attorney, who is not a polygamist, is set to ask the federal courts to decriminalize the practice. his argument? the browns are consenting

adults, living out their faith and they're not hurting anybody. >> right now, we live in a bizarre situation, where everyone agrees that you can have multiple lovers. you can have children by those lovers. you can have adult rouse lovers. and you are protected as a citizen of the united states. but the minute you tell them privately that you view them as their spiritual spouses, the state comes in and prosecutes you. >> reporter: the law bank polygamy dates back to a supreme court decision in 1879. the court said it may be a religious practice, but it doesn't deserve constitutional protection any more than human sacrifice. but this is the same court that banned interracial marriage. so, should polygamy be reconsidered, too? if you've got a case where you have all consenting adults and nobody's being hurt, what's wrong with that? >> i don't care what these people are telling you. there's not a single polygamist family out there that the women are truly happy inside. >> reporter: critics say there is plenty of evidence that

polygamy fasters abuse. remember those allegations of children forced to marry older men in that mormon splinter group? the browns' attorney says there is no abuse in this family and he challenges everyone to join the argument. who is really being hurt here? dan harris, abc news, new york. and now, a young american hero, who received the medal of honor at the white house today. army sergeant first class leroy petry, only 31, but already years of distinguishedservice. today was all about a moment in afghanistan when petry was severely wounded, shot in both legs, looking at a live grenade that could have hurt his fellow soldiers. abc's john donvan on what he did. >> reporter: above and beyond. that's where leroy petry went in may 2008, afghanistan, his seventh tour of duty. these pictures, from before he found out what he was made of. with the true sign of that today being in all the ceremony, a certain discomomrt at the attention.

>> to be singled out is very humbling. >> reporter: perhaps, yes, for a kid who used to get into fights and who almost failed in high school, but out there, picked up a live enemy grenade to toss it away to save his comrades. it cost him his right hand, but he's alive, rare for medal of honor winners. but there's also this. leroy petry decided he's not done. and when he reenlisted, he took the oath with his right hand. his new one. john donvan, abc news, washington. >> and we want to honor him, too. and, still ahead on "world news," one thing you may want to buy to help create american jobs. our made in america team finds it tonight. jaycee dugard. what the neighbors who lived near that backyard prison are saying. and the first lady, whose honesty about her own life, changed so many others.

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help them find it. >> reporter: you'll remember that army of smiling neighbors trailing us down that seattle street. how did it grow that big? let's rewind the tape again. the first knock, the cooks. they knew the drill. we took everything not made in america out -- then, the next house. we emptied them out. and the next house. and soon -- this. >> reporter: the andersons on their bench from indonesia. the cooks and their dresser from china. andd nikki and karen on their couch from canada. all of them now looking for that one thing made in america in their home or i i a store they can't wait to tell the rest of the country about. and it turned out the whole neighborhood wanted in. >> reporter: and while they searched, we did, too. on our bikes. >> reporter: how pretty. >> reporter: on a cold, wet day in seattle. and we weren't the only ones on our bikes. when you report for duty, you

report for your bikes -- >> yes. >> reporter: made in america. with uniforms made in america. what do you think about his gear. is that going to work for cycling? >> a little lacking. >> reporter: they told us where to get properly outfitted, and gave me a little heldstart. >> halfway there. >> reporter: but so far away. >> reporter: off to find the olympic uniform company. so, those uniforms we saw on the seattle p.d. came from right here? >> yes. >> reporter: that's pretty cool. >> reporter: they make gee for memphis, philadelphia, phoenix, orlando and as david found out, metro atlanta. >> reporter: i'll give you a traffic ticket. >> reporter: sharyn was once a reporter here in seattle, but clearly, i wasn't. what's wrong with this? >> not good with our rain. >> reporter: she was out to fix it. good color? >> reporter: this will keep him dry, no complaining? >> reporter: i didn't complain. and sharyn, too. >> great color on you. >> reporter: sharyn, what do you

think of this? >> reporter: instructor what are you teaching? >> reporter: they outfitt eted . we were off. >> reporter: we discovered stores filled with made in america. these are ropes from lobster pots. where else? maine. these are made from recycled wine bottles. >> reporter: i was cheque out gear. cascade designs started nearly 40 years ago. made in america? >> made in america. >> reporter: for decades, jim mip's been making this mattress. open the air valves, inflates on its own. voila. no longer sleepless in seattle. >> nap time! >> reporter: 18 million sold. and while sharyn and i were chosing our one thing, back on that street,hey were already lining up with theirs. >> look at your line. >> reporter: we wanted to point out that every single person in that line, even the children, had their one thing. >> reporter: and some surprising things there. one thing that was a little bit

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us so much in her interview with her radiant message of hope and survival, after 18 years kidnapped by a sex offender. after her interview, a lot of you wondered, what about the neighbors looking out at the skal lor in that backyard where she was impressed, and the young women they may h he seen there? we told you one neighbor did try calling 911, but police didn't really investigate. well, tonight, other neighbors who feel stricken that they didn't see something strange and take action. today, some of the neighbors who lived so close to that backyard, the deranged shacks where jaycee was imprisoned, decided to speak publicly. this neighbor used to see her in the yard. >> i was heartbroken to think that we had lived here and that poor little thing having the baby, being out there, all alone. >> reporter: she says she had no idea. >> i've been down to the police department bringing them out here. >> i couldn't believe something like that happened to close to my house.

>> reporter: a waitress, who, for years, used to prepare the fast food garrido was giving to jaycee. >> watch your children. and get to know your neighbors. you don't know who lives next to you. >> reporter: it's the message so many of you have been sending us, asking that her story be a call to action. "if you see something, say something." and some very familiar names linking arms with all of us. oprah saying, "jaycee has so much to teach us all." dr. phil calling her story "both humbling and inspiring." and remember, when jaycee was forbidden to say her own name for years and years -- who were you? >> i was alyssa. i liked the actor alyssa milano d "who's the boss." i couldn't be jaycee, so i picked another name. >> reporter: alyssa milano responded, saying "your memeage of hope is vital for everyone to hear." and, as we said, "20/20" anchor

chris cuomo is invest gafting new information about all the times parole officers and police failed to find her, when she was just a few feet away. >> we just want to ask you a question. >> reporter: he will be back right here tomorrow with the latest on what still needs to be done. and by the way, on saturday, we'll have a special encore of the interview, new investigative material and parts of jaycee's interview you have not seen. and that will be saturday at 9:00 p.m. coming up, her courage and candor. america's first ladies pay tribute.uncer ] mple physics... a body at rest tends to stay at rest... while a body in motion tends to stay in motion. staying active can actually ease arthritis symptoms. but if you have arthritis, staying active can be difficult. prescription celebrex can help relieve arthritis pain so your body can stay in motion. because just one 200mg celebrex a day can provide 24 hour relief for many with arthritis pain and inflammation.

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for the efficient absorption my body needs. citracal. finally tonight, a constellation of first ladies and d e former president, gathered to honor the legacy of a woman who taught america to talk openly about personal struggles. she did from her breast cancer to her addiction to painkillers and alcohol. betty ford died last week at 93, and today, the words of emily dickinson were inscribed in the funeral program. "if i can stop one heart from breaking, i shall not live in vain." here's abc's claire shipman. >> reporter: she was a dancer as a young woman and later in life,

she would dance on the cabinet room table as a joke for photographers. brave and defiant, an ordinary person who would change the word. >> my name is betty and i'm an alcoholic. >> reporter: it was an issue in 1982 that was not very first lady-like. your hallmark has always been your incredible honesty -- >> which probably got me in trouble. >> reporter: she remembered her family's intervention. >> i was very angry. but we all came together and my husband in a very loving way put his arm around me and he said, you know, mom, we love you too much to let this happen. >> reporter: she was determined to end the shame and secrecy for others, too, and camp betty was born. and mrs. ford often personally set lives back on track. like that of elizabeth anderson, who was addicted to marn aijuan and alcohol. >> thank you for being such an inspiration. >> well, appreciate that.

>> she was the original individual, i think, in the last 30 years to really have the audacity of hope. >> reporter: mrs. ford always took equal joy in the newfound strength of her flock. >> they're distraught and frightened and very sick and then weeks later, i see them and they have a smile on their face. >> reporter: she'll be remembered, perhaps, as patron saint, as much as first lady. claire shipman, abc news. >> thanks so much for watching. we're always on at abcnews.com. don't forget, "nightline" later. and hope to see you right back here tomorrow night.

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